Emerging Drug Delivery Vectors: Engineering of Plant-Derived Nanovesicles and Their Applications in Biomedicine

Abstract

Extracellular vesicles can transmit intercellular information and transport biomolecules to recipient cells during various pathophysiological processes in the organism. Animal cell exosomes have been identified as potential nanodrugs delivery vehicles, yet they have some shortcomings such as high immunogenicity, high cytotoxicity, and complicated preparation procedures. In addition to exosomes, plant-derived extracellular vesicles (PDVs), which carry a variety of active substances, are another promising nano-transport vehicles emerging in recent years due to their stable physicochemical properties, wide source, and low cost. This work briefly introduces the collection and characterization of PDVs, then focuses on the application of PDVs as natural or engineered drug carriers in biomedicine, and finally discusses the development and challenges of PDVs in future applications.

The Impact of Genotype and Controlled Environment Cultivation Parameters on Tomato-Leaf-Derived Exosome-like Nanoparticle Yield and Properties

“…To ensure high nanoparticle yield and bioactive properties from plant sources, isolation methods have been developed purposefully, and the necessity for standardized procedures has been highlighted when seeking result uniformity and reproducibility [4,5,33]. It was also noticed in the studies with Arabidopsis plants that revising the plant growth environment to stimulate PDEN release from plant cells is also a crucial approach for enhancing their yield [34,35].…”

“…PDENs are nanosized extracellular vesicles with membrane structures originating from the endomembrane system, serving as protective compartments and the long-distance carriers of various bioactive ingredients such as proteins, nucleic acids, and secondary metabolites [1][2][3]. Abundant evidence confirms the implication of those nanoparticles in intercellular signaling, defense mechanisms, and interspecies communication [4], as well as their anti-tumor, anti-inflammatory, cardioprotective, and wound-healing properties [4,5]. Moreover, bringing to the fore their ability to efficiently transport bioactive molecules to target tissues [6] and their safety and immune tolerance compared with exosomes derived from animals [4], PDENs have a high potential for applications in functional foods, drug delivery, and therapeutics.…”

Exosomes derived from tendon stem/progenitor cells enhance tendon-bone interface healing after rotator cuff repair in a rat model

“…They contain mRNAs, microRNAs, proteins, signaling cytokines, and lipids [ 20 ], serving as messengers of cell-cell communication and regulators of various recipient cell functions [ 21 ]. Numerous medical studies have demonstrated exosomes' ability to regulate inflammation, modulate immune responses, influence cancer development, facilitate tissue repair, and aid in drug delivery [ [22] , [23] , [24] ]. Recent research has focused on the therapeutic effects of exosomes derived from BMSCs, USCs, and ADSCs, significantly promoting tendon-bone healing in various animal models [ [25] , [26] , [27] ].…”